School fee hike: Parents protest, allege police misbehaviour

Parents also alleged that police rounded up their leader and took him to the police station.

Hundreds of parents protested in front of Sacred Heart Senior Secondary Convent School, Sector 39 on Saturday against substantial hike in fee.
However, the matter took a serious turn when police reached the spot and tried to stop the protest. Parents also alleged that police rounded up their leader and took him to the police station.

Talking to Newsline, Lal Prakhar, a parent who was detained said, “We were peacefully protesting against fee hike in front of the school premises when ADCP-4 Swapan Sharma reached the spot and told us to shift our location. When we refused to move, they took me to police station and misbehaved. They also told me not to teach law to them. I was released only after other parents reached the police station.”

Prakhar added that ‘permission to protest was already taken from division number 7 police station.’ He said, “The school has raised the fee from Rs 21,000 to Rs 25,000 which is not affordable for most of the parents.”

The matter then reached additional deputy commissioner Baldev Singh, who held a meeting with parents. Talking to Newsline he said, “We told the parents earlier also that investigation is on in the matter and if school is found guilty, we will recommend action against school authorities to the government. It is ICSE affiliated school and action will be taken accordingly.”

Meanwhile, ADCP-4 Swapan Sharma told Newsline, “We never vandalised their tents. We only asked them to shift and leave space in front of the school gate. It is not the right place to protest and it creates indiscipline. They can continue their protest but at right place.”